Plantar fasciitis is a frustrating foot issue that disrupts the lives of many military personnel and outdoor enthusiasts. While it’s not always clear what causes plantar fasciitis, it’s characterised by an uncomfortable pain at the bottom of your foot that may be worse when you first start moving in the morning or after long periods of sitting.
In many cases, the pain caused by plantar fasciitis clears up on its own accord in a couple of weeks. However, others suffer for an extended period of time or find that the discomfort comes and goes with seemingly no obvious reason for a flare-up. This means that it’s important to deal with plantar fasciitis when it occurs and take appropriate precautionary steps to avoid long-term issues which may stop you from being able to spend time on your feet and do your job properly.
Rest Up
First things first, make sure that you treat plantar fasciitis like any other injury you might get out in the field. While it is true that the pain often eases when you keep moving, it can quickly worsen when your body begins to rest and recover from exercise. Fight the urge to push through the pain and allow yourself to rest as much as possible with your foot raised when sitting. In most cases, the pain caused by plantar fasciitis will ease on its own after 2 weeks of rest, after which time we suggest trying some low-impact activity to ease yourself back in.
Stretch Properly
It’s widely understood that strengthening your feet helps to prevent plantar fasciitis as the stronger the tissue in the affected area, the better your feet will be at absorbing impact and working through prolonged periods of exercise or movement without irritation and inflammation. Gentle stretching works wonders in terms of strengthening problematic areas, including both the plantar fascia itself and the nearby Achilles tendon. Try these exercises or consult a physiotherapist - but never push yourself beyond what is comfortable else you risk worsening the injury.
Wear The Right Footwear
While it’s not known for certain what causes plantar fasciitis, ill-fitting footwear is strongly linked to the development of the issue. If you are going to be spending lots of time on your feet, it’s therefore vital that you take the time to get footwear that fits properly and has strong shock absorption properties. Your shoes or boots should have strong shock absorption properties and provide adequate heel and arch support.
Use Insoles
Adding a pair of specialist insoles to their correctly fitting footwear can further protect the feet from plantar fasciitis. Insoles add additional cushioning to your boots and therefore take critical stress away from the key rearfoot area. If you’re not sure where to start, a high-volume pair of insoles like the Superfeet Green insoles are a particularly popular choice among those suffering from plantar fasciitis on an ongoing basis as they provide targeted support to the heel and arch of the foot.
See A Specialist
If your plantar fasciitis symptoms fail to improve or recur over time, you should always see a specialist. Continuous pain could be an indicator that the problems you are experiencing are more severe than first anticipated and tending to these issues promptly will increase the speed and success of your recovery. Your GP should be able to point you in the direction of a suitable physiotherapist or podiatrist, though you can also seek advice from these individuals directly if you’re willing to go private.
The team here at Taskforce Distribution can also help if you need any advice about choosing the best LOWA footwear for your needs. We stock a wide range of boots and insoles suitable for those dealing with plantar fasciitis and are always happy to guide you towards an appropriate solution. Get in touch today.
